Washington DC
An Amalgam of Battlegrounds and Monuments.
A Process to Raise People and Ideas Up; and Cast Them Down.
Who Decides. Who Should.
A nation's capital. Capitol? Capital? Does capital run the capitol? Tour some of it here.
Battlegrounds. Some of our battlegrounds are financial, political and cultural, rather than military: in the mind, and at the voting box, preceded by all sorts of strategies, judgment calls, tricks and honor and sleights of hand with money, etc. As anywhere there are elections. Visit and see where decisions are made and traded, skewed and lifted up, and who does all that. Visit Washington DC.
1. White House.
Think of the White House. Many decisions are shaped there.
The White House, Washington DCThere is a big role for advisors in governing, or sometimes for just getting re-elected. That is ever true, and each President grapples with advisors.
The President has many advisors to ensure he has the accurate, full and factual information, and then a checkback process vetting the emotional reactions, his and others'. Life is also pragmatic. Then he is in a position to exercise his judgment. All presidents have advisors. Having advisors does not mean someone is lacking. It means they have sense.
People, in forming their opinions, are not so well treated. They get truncated. No advisors in their best interest. Unless they work at their own fact-checks, and reviewing multiple sources, people get spinners at favored media outlets. Spinners give out selected information, like "selling" people something, to ensure the people get swayed to the side the spinner wants before the people might find out more facts. The people get an emotional whammy interpretation first. Once hooked, the facts don't matter. Is that so?
2. Capitol Building.
Capitol Rotunda. Here is part of the capitol building interior, the Rotunda, looking up at the ceiling. Dan thought my position to do this was ridiculous.
Capitol Rotunda, Washington DCSenators and Representatives who pass through here, upright, also may take ridiculous positions, or rude, mean ones; and who knows how they vet, but they also have advisors.
They pick their advisors either to serve a common good, or for partisan constituents, or to get re-elected foremost. Is that so? Vet the advisors. The more Madison Avenue, the less the common good is being served.
3. Washington Monument.
The Washington Monument.
Founders - here the Washington Monument. It is the least original of all - modeled after Egyptian power symbols that have been emulated or trucked about ever after: the impractical, nonfunctional obelisk. It attracts attention, period. And grounds marches and demonstrations.
An obelisk is made by formula (march march march march) and they all look alike, see their history http://mysite.du.edu/~etuttle/classics/obelisk.htm/. The Washington Monument cheats. Real obelisks are not just the shape, but also monolithic - one stone. Our Washington monument is all these little segments and bits piled on. Convenience and budget over authenticity. Shafts. Shafted. Seen one, seen 'em all.
Washington Monument, Washington DC. Dull. President Washington had high-brow beginnings.
President Lincoln had low-brow. Both had advisors. Here is the Lincoln Memorial:
Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. One to revisit and revisit.It is far more interesting than the Washington Monument, even though its design is routine. Lots of classical columns, steps up.
4. War Memorials
We have to stop wars because we are out of space.
World War II Memorial
There are separate arches for the Pacific and Atlantic theaters. It is well designed for learning place names, seeing the truly global scope of a world war.
World War II Monument, Washington DCThe Vietnam War Memorial
This is the patrol, the sculpture, not the wall part.
Vietnam War Memorial, the Patrol, Washington DCNot everyone who serves in the military is a hero, or is treated as they believe their efforts warrant. Still, they serve and by that are honorable. Think of the many who used existing and legal loopholes to enable them to follow paths of self-serving choice, not service. Some made the right choice in that. Still, cheer those who serve.
Some who did, should not have. Killing others, killed them in many ways. Some who did not, should have. Speak, O Delphic Oracle. Who is to know.
The Korean Conflict Memorial.
Then see these reflected in a polished granite wall beside. Like ghosts.
What issues does a visit to Washington raise? See FN 1 and Alvin Greene, a product of our system, and who, with advisors like anyone else has, may well serve constituents well. Our system may be wiser than we know. Why not put him in? We know the opposition, and it is rude and mean.
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FN 1 Who should decide weighty matters of state and war.
Populists suggest that those of the elite, those in power who have been shaped by it over time, become (perhaps) more self-interested, or more blinded, or so enriched financially, that they get lax, exploiting others. Bad behavior. And shocked, shocked that they are to be held accountable. On that ground alone, say some, clean house and clean senate periodically. Put untainted people put in instead.
Where they can position themselves to make money, become corrupted, lose perspective, etc.
Try another standard.
Put or keep people in who have
- common-good ideas,
- can express them reasonably,
- will surround themselves with the best, most neutral, fact-oriented, diligent advisors in the land, from all sides, and
- will govern for long-term stability, a healthy peacetime life for all inhabitants, a good society, a common good society honoring basic freedoms for human beings; not just follow the wind to get re-elected. See FDR's 1941 Four Freedoms speech, full text at ://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrthefourfreedoms.htm/; the Four Freedoms for humans are at the end. Anyone who promotes those Four Freedoms would get my vote.
Enter Alvin Greene.
Our election process has given one Alvin M. Greene of South Carolina, elected in a primary as Democratic candidate for Senate, a voice. The process was vetted, and no fraud or outside actionable machinations unearthed. He so far has been courteous, has some blotches on his record but don't we all, is it possible to think that he can arise through his own efforts and with the advisors that all the others have anyway, and serve constituents. Is he - as a college graduate and we understand he earned military honors, see ://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/54303 - cannier than we think. Is it WYSIWYG for Greene? So far, evidence says yes, and this is based on that. Information may change.
I'd vote for that, over people who shout "you lie" -- then go raise money from other boors equally rude and mean. Everyone can be productive, and deserves respect. Those who resort to boorishness should be out. We all have boorish moments, but we don't have to revel in them.
Respect for allGo on, Alvin Greene. Let the system play out. I would have you sit at my dinner table and be interested in you, but I wouldn't even invite your opponent. South Carolina, elect Alvin Smith and provide the best support advisors possible, so he makes common-good decisions for his constituents. A very democratic candidate.
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